Reflect on JavaScript 1
03 Sep 2020FreeCodeCamp
When I first used FreeCodeCamp, I was a bit worried. I thought that I would be practicing code in unfamiliar territory - that I would be behind before the class had even gotten the chance to start. I thought of myself to be a complete newbie when it came to JavaScript and coding in general. This was mainly due to the fact that in my past ICS classes, there were students who clearly knew the course material from prior experience. They completed all assignments with ease and did more than they needed to. As I continued through the exercises, however, I was able to get through many of them with ease. On the few that I didn’t know right off the bat or that I didn’t recognize at all, a refresher on the material helped me pick my pace back up.
I couldn’t say quite the same when I continued on to the ES6 exercises. There was a balance between “Wow, I learned this before!” and “… what’s happening here?”. When I would get stuck, I thought I’d end up pulling my hair out and going bald before I figured out what the issue was. The exercises were new, yet familiar and enjoyable at the same time, and I can happily say that I’m glad I wasn’t pulling my hair the ENTIRE time - it needs to be preserved for what I’ve yet to learn in this class.
WODS
I found the in-class WODs to be extremely helpful, but they were also quite stressful. This was due to the fact that they’re timed, and if I’m not able to finish them within a given time, I would not be given a grade. That said, I do like the WODs because they give me the opportunity to apply what I’ve learned. I also appreciate that we are put into pairs (three on occasions) because it allows for a small discussion in case we forgot something small that would otherwise cause the entire code to fail. This way of learning will definitely help me thrive in this class because it will allow me to put my knowledge and application skills to the test.
Looking Forward
I can’t fully call myself a pro when it comes to JavaScript, and neither can I call myself a newbie. I can say, however, that I’m someone who is willing to put in time and effort into learning new material. I did find some of the material to be stressful, but I enjoyed learning about them. I like how ICS 314 is going so far, and I hope to get as much as I can out of it.